UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, MANILA Kung Wala Ka nang Maintindihan, Kung Wala Ka nang Malapitan, Kapit Ka sa Akin … Hindi Kita Bibitawan: A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Online News Coverage of Typhoons Yolanda and Lawin toward Understanding the Dependency of Filipinos on (Foreign) Humanitarian Aid during Typhoon Aftermaths An Undergraduate Thesis Presented to Dr. Josefina G. Tayag Department of Social Sciences University of the Philippines, Manila In Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science Presented by JOSUE‘ A LIBBY‘S R. MAPAGDALITA 2013-03837 Kung Wala Ka Nang Maintindihan Mapagdalita, JL University of the Philippines Manila College of Arts and Sciences Padre Faura, Ermita, Manila APPROVAL SHEET This undergraduate thesis entitled, ―Kung Wala Ka nang Maintindihan, Kung Wala Ka nang Malapitan, Kapit Ka sa Akin … Hindi Kita Bibitawan: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Online News Coverage of Typhoons Yolanda and Lawin toward Understanding the Dependency of Filipinos on (Foreign) Humanitarian Aid during Typhoon Aftermaths‖ prepared and submitted by Josue‘ A Libby‘s R. Mapagdalita is hereby accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. _________________________ Dr. Josefina G. Tayag, DPA, ret. Adviser This undergraduate thesis is hereby accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the course requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. ____________________ Prof. Jerome A. Ong Chairperson Department of Social Sciences 1 Kung Wala Ka Nang Maintindihan Mapagdalita, JL For the Filipino masses, who have been oppressed for a long time, and who, in times of great tribulations, always seek refuge in the arms of their comrades For the victims of Typhoons Lawin and Yolanda, whose narratives are exploited for the profiteering motives of those in power and whose basic rights were denied by the same entities that swore to protect and aid them For Mama and Papa, whose love transcends silence and distance For Kuya Kim, Pam, Van, Caesar, Jill, Brownie, and Ate Joan 2 Kung Wala Ka Nang Maintindihan Mapagdalita, JL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First of all, I wish to thank the band, Sugarfree, for creating the song ―Huwag Ka nang Umiyak‖. Without it, I won‘t be able to create such a witty thesis title. I don‘t claim any of the lyrics embedded in such a wonderful song, but I wish to let you know that I only used such stanza for academic purposes only. Thank you also, Mr. Gary Valenciano, for your existence; please know that your version of the song will always be my favourite, and when I hear it, I am always impelled to write the long paragraphs of this thesis. I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to my family for supporting me all the way, especially whenever I feel lost and trapped in paths of uncertainty. Thank you for your love that transcends miles. Without you, I would never be able to exert more effort for thesis writing. You are my primary source of motivation, and please know that everything I do is for all of you. I would like to thank my thesis adviser, Dr. Josefina G. Tayag, for all the pieces of advice you have given me and my classmates. Thank you for all the encouragements and compliments which sufficed to motivate me to continue researching. Thank you for believing in my ability to write, despite the fact that pursuing this topic would be dangerous, especially for an undergraduate thesis. I would like to express appreciation to my former professor, Prof. Clarinda L. Berja, for allowing me to change topic even if the semester was about to end already. Thank you for guiding me in writing the first few chapter of my thesis. Thank you for always telling me to always respect my work. I would like to thank my classmates in Pol Sci 198 for your assuring words and for your compliments. I know that I will never belong to the roster of the best students that the Political Science program has ever produced, but your words make me feel that I am recognised. 3 Kung Wala Ka Nang Maintindihan Mapagdalita, JL I would like to express gratitude to my friends in LRC, especially Ate Jo and Prof. Sarj, for asking me everytime if I was all right. Thanks to you for lighting up my boring college life and for allowing me to print my papers whenever I was on the rush. Thank you also for the occasional food trips; they had always energised my grumpy soul. I would like to thank my closest friends in Block 4. Tania, Thea, Helen, and Alex; thank you for everything. I can‘t imagine life in UP without you. The same also goes to my closest Pol Sci friends outside my block — Von, Denise, Ro-Ann, Gab, Majoy, Dea, Liezl, Aliah, Lance, Elijah Rebong, and Benille. You all know that our daily chismis is almost like food — while it keeps me alive, it also makes me desire for more. Charot! I would like to express my most genuine gratitude to my closest high school friends, Red, Wynard, Honey, and Joy. Thank you for taking the time to laugh with me and for being there when times get rough. You are my backbone and cornerstone, and I can‘t imagine facing this ordeal without your presence. Thank you also to Dabon Family for being there when I was panicking and felt the need to visit your lovely and welcoming home. Thank you for letting me borrow Wynard‘s laptop when my laptop crashed. This research would never be possible without your help. I wish also to express my highest respects and my sincerest gratitude to my former JRP instructor, Mr. Mark Abalos, for allowing me to acquire his insights regarding the topic. Thank you for the words of encouragement, for guiding me in my theoretical framework, and for the treat last time. You will always be my idol. I would like also to thank some people for their contributions for their contributions in this thesis. To Mr. Ronelo Valente, Mrs. Rosita Dabon, Ms. Angeles Navales, Ms. Cheska Elizaga, and Mr. Paolo 4 Kung Wala Ka Nang Maintindihan Mapagdalita, JL Mapagdalita, thank you for lending your precious time in order to translate this research's survey questionnaire to four (4) native languages (Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Bikolano, and Waray). As a financially struggling student who is not capable of paying for translation fees, I know your efforts for this research indeed require monetary compensation, and yet, you did not demand anything. For that, I am and will be forever grateful. Special thanks are also given to Mrs. Rosita Dabon and to my friend, Mr. Elijah Joshua Rebong for sending the English and Tagalog versions of my survey questionnaire to your friends and colleagues who translated the material. I would like to thank also those who answered my survey and my reading exercise. The success of this research is dedicated to all of you. Of course, most of all, thank you Lord God for the unconditional love. I know I will always be a sinner, but thank you for giving me the will to live, especially whenever I feel mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted. I dedicate this success to you! 5 Kung Wala Ka Nang Maintindihan Mapagdalita, JL ABSTRACT This study is a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of the online news coverage of the influx of and the need for (foreign) humanitarian aid during the aftermaths of Typhoons Yolanda and Lawin in the Philippines. Through an in-depth linguistic analysis of verbal texts, the research argues that these online news sites‘ linguistic manipulation of content produced specific ideological impacts that could reinforce (foreign) humanitarian aid dependency among Filipinos, especially among those who read their respective contents. Such ideological impacts include the properties to evoke emotions directed towards post-typhoon actors, to form an image of post-typhoon actors, and to portray (foreign) humanitarian aid as wielding positive impacts that will benefit its recipients. The study also proves that the consequences of these ideological impacts to the readers could gain more strength and momentum if the online news sites and their respective content possess the two fundamental components of any journalistic endeavour — credibility and objectivity. The study also reveals that, based on the results of the survey, (foreign) humanitarian aid dependency in an individual level already exists among Filipinos; and the results of reading exercise shows that such dependency is being reinforced by online news sites — a type of channel of discourse — through the media‘s innate power to manipulate public opinion. Therefore, this study asserts that online news sites are exploited as tools of oppression by global hegemons — the center of the news spotlight — to foster dependency that will aid in their quest to promote and reinforce disaster capitalism in the affected regions; thus, institutionalising and legimitising their neoliberal economic agenda in the country. Keywords: critical discourse analysis, (foreign) humanitarian aid, discourse, aid dependency, disaster capitalism, hegemony, (linguistic) manipulation 6 Kung Wala Ka Nang Maintindihan Mapagdalita, JL TABLE OF CONTENTS Approval Sheet 1 Dedication 2 Acknowledgments 3 Abstract 6 Table of Contents 7 List of Tables 11 List of Figures 12 CHAPTER I: Introduction 14 Purpose of the Study 14 Background of the Problem 14 Thesis Statement 17 Research Question 17 Significance of the Study 18 CHAPTER II: Review of Literature 19 Research Methodologies Used 19 The Influence of Humanitarian Aid on Third World Countries 23 The Path of Countries‘ Foreign and Development Policies 23 Local Response to